Orthodontic Appliances: Types and Uses in Dental Practice

Lingual Arch

The lingual arch is a very useful device that is used to stabilize teeth (6-6), maintain anchorage in the jaw, or prevent teeth (6-6) from moving mesially and buccally. It can also widen the incisors and the dental arch.

It is used in mixed dentition (with temporary and permanent teeth) and as a holding arch at the end of treatment.

It is built on metal strips (6-6), adapting hard orthodontic wire (0.8 to 1 mm) in contact with the lingual surfaces. Its union with the band, in this case, is welded.

Nance Button

The Nance Button is used to reinforce the anchorage of the upper molars, stabilize molar groups, rotate molars, and increase the transverse distance between molars.

It is constructed with 1 mm wire, and this goes from one band to another through the middle palate at the height of the first premolars. In this area, a hashed resin button rests on the mucosa of the palate (the only item that should contact the mucosa).

Quad Helix

The Quad Helix is a device designed by Ricketts. It consists of a palatal arch wire ranging from 0.9 to 1.25 mm with four coils and is welded to two bands, which in turn are bonded to 6+6.

The arms of the arch are supported on the palatal surfaces of the upper teeth, which could result in the expansion of the arch, molar rotation if enabled, etc.

It can be purchased preformed or constructed in the laboratory. The minimum distance from the helix to the band must be at least 2 mm and 1 mm to the palatal mucosa. As always, insist that any wire should never contact the mucosa.

Space Maintainer

The space maintainer, also called a band-and-loop, is the simplest device used in clinical orthodontics.

They are made with 0.7-0.8 mm wire and are attached to one or two metal strips, as appropriate, by spot welding.

They allow good adaptation in the mouth. They are effective in maintaining space while waiting for the eruption of permanent teeth, once the temporary teeth have dropped in mixed dentition. They may even recover some space if the construction includes two wire handles.

Goshgarian Arch

The Goshgarian Arch is a device for the upper jaw. It consists of a transpalatal bar that is constructed with bands in the 6+6 and 1 mm wire. In the central part, it has an omega and is separated 2 mm from the palate. It is used for:

• Expansion
• Molar rotation
• Molar stabilization